Paul Merson believes Chelsea are Arsenal’s closest Premier League title challengers – ahead of Manchester City.
Merson feels Chelsea are hot on the Gunners’ heels, but can’t see anyone knocking Arsenal off their perch this season.
Paul Merson Makes Bold Premier League Title Claim
Former Arsenal star and England international Paul Merson has made a fresh Premier League title claim following Sunday’s 1-1 draw between Chelsea and the Gunners at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal currently sit top of the tree in the Premier League, and are also favourites for European success judging by the latest Champions League winner betting odds.
Mikel Arteta’s side are flying high right now, and Merson feels that his former club will finally get over the line and win their first Premier League title in over a decade.
However, Merson insists it won’t be easy and that a couple of teams are still very much in the hunt. The 57-year-old feels that Chelsea and Manchester City are Arsenal’s closest challengers.
That being said, even though the Blues and Pep Guardiola’s City are the Gunners’ nearest challengers, Merson “can’t see anybody touching Arsenal at the top”.
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea showed on Sunday that they are more than a match for the north London outfit, but were still unable to beat Arteta’s men despite being at home and leading at half-time.
The Gunners have dropped points against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City now, but remain five points clear at the top of England’s top flight already after just 13 games.
After Matchweek 13 results, various pundits are weighing in on the title race. Arsenal currently leads the league, but opinions are split on who will challenge them. Micah Richards believes Man City is the main threat, while Paul Merson has predicted Chelsea could finish above… pic.twitter.com/5o4yrrOM9c
— Edwin Ogbu (@CM_BOND97) December 2, 2025
Merson: Chelsea Nearest Premier League Title Challengers, But No Match For Arsenal
Although Chelsea have lost four times this season, Paul Merson believes they are Arsenal’s closest challengers ahead of Manchester City.
Merson highlighted Chelsea’s squad depth in particular, which he feels will give them the edge of Pep Guardiola’s side when we get to the business end of the Premier League season.
Man City have only finished outside the top two in the Premier League once in the past nine seasons, with Merson feeling this will be the case come May with Chelsea instead finishing in second behind the Gunners.
Arsenal agreed the double signing of Ecuadorian twins ahead of January’s transfer window, further adding to their already impressive squad. If either Chelsea, City or anyone else is to catch Declan Rice and co, they may have to bring in further reinforcements too.
Following Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with league leaders Arsenal on Sunday, Merson told Sportskeeda:
“You’ve got to be impressed by the way in which Chelsea played against Arsenal.
“Arsenal have dropped points against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, but they are winning against everyone else and that is making a difference.”
It’s fair to say that Arsenal have looked like champions elect this season, and have never looked more likely to win the Premier League in recent memory. Whether they do or not remains to be seen, but Paul Merson feels they will, with Chelsea pushing them all the way.
